Rufus (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
badass_tiger) wrote2022-01-13 12:39 pm
badass_tiger) wrote2022-01-13 12:39 pm
young champions
Title: young champions
Fandom: Pokemon
Characters: Raihan & Leon
Word Count: 1.8k
Rating: Gen
Summary: From the moment a young Raihan laid eyes on Leon through the television screen, he knew his destiny. For the bingo square 'Ambitious'.
Raihan had been 9 years old when he and his mates heard about the fresh-faced young Trainer who was going to become the next Champion. Chairman Rose had been on the telly many times to say so, so it had be true. On the day of the Championship Match, every kid who had the slightest interest in Pokemon was glued to their screen on the day.
Raihan, who knew he was going to be Champion next year when he went on his Gym Challenge, was skeptical. No matter how great this new Trainer was, he would be sure to beat him easily. He told this to anyone who would listen to him, and, accustomed to his boasting, they nodded and assured him it was likely true. The local Gym Leader, who had promised to endorse him next year, advised him to watch the match so that he would be prepared to face the new Champion when the time came.
The new contender for the Championship title was a year older than Raihan, but to Raihan's eyes, the child who walked onto the pitch was nothing but a short, scrawny kid. The Charizard following him towered over him, and Raihan wondered how such a big, powerful Pokemon could accept orders from someone who looked so small and so weak. But Leon was confident, Raihan could give him that. He strode forward as if he had been on this battlefield before, countless times, and nothing that was about to come could possibly surprise him or take him unawares.
Every single Pokemon Leon sent out besides made him look tiny. To watch a child direct an Aegislash he couldn't possibly wield and command a Dragapult twice his size would have been laughable if it weren't for the fact that from the first Pokemon Leon sent out, Raihan's jaw fell to the floor. Leon threw his Pokeballs like he was taking aim at something only he could see, and with every order he gave his Pokemon, he gestured as expansively as if he was ready to take action himself. He looked at his opponent with a gaze as unmovable as steel. But the thing that struck at Raihan the most was Leon's smile. It was confident, self-assured, a spark in his eyes that Raihan had never seen in the adult Trainers who surrounded him: a spark of joy. The thing that Leon was unafraid of was the outcome of the match. It didn't matter to him if he won or lost. He was happy to stand there with his Pokemon, caught up in the joy of the battle, yet he was, at the same time, completely confident he would win. The powerful Pokemon under his command seemed to emphasise it all the more. They wouldn't listen to him if they didn't respect him as a Trainer.
In the new Champion, Raihan saw a kindred spirit. It was just a shame that he, Leon, wouldn't get to be Champion for long, before Raihan came to beat him.
On Raihan's 10th birthday, he was appalled by the town Gym Leader's decision not to endorse him. He said some rubbish about Raihan not being ready and still lacking in a strong bond between him and his partner Pokemon. Raihan had covered his Goomy's ears and glared. If he was going to say something like that, he could at least do it out of earshot of the sensitive soul that was his partner Goomy.
'Guess we've got no choice but to keep training,' he told her. Unperturbed, she crawled up his arm and covered him in goo until he was dripping with slime.
Perhaps it was as well to leave Leon to enjoy his Championship for a little longer. It was another two years before Raihan could go on the Gym Challenge, but he wasted no time in getting as strong as he could. He snuck out to the Wild Area to train and look for new Pokemon, and as Leon's fame and popularity grew, he bought every newspaper and magazine he was in, and watched every interview intently.
As Raihan followed Leon's career, something strange happened. He had been interested in Leon as a Pokemon Trainer, seeing in him a worthy rival to his own talent. But the more he watched Leon, the more interested he became in Leon as a person. Leon was outgoing and friendly, never seen with anything less than a huge, toothy grin in his every media appearance. He didn't look down on anyone, praising the previous Champion and every Trainer he publicly battled against. He said that he wanted to help the Trainers of Galar become the strongest in the world. Even his call for further opponents sounded more like a friendly invitation than a challenge. Raihan wasn't the only person who thought so. Leon's popularity increased exponentially, almost more from his charisma than from his strength as a Pokemon Trainer.
Every time he saw Leon's face on a billboard or on the telly, Raihan burned with the desire to meet him.
When Raihan finally received his letter of endorsement, he couldn't get on a train to the opening ceremony in Motostoke fast enough. He already had three Pokeballs on his belt, and was brimming with self-confidence. As he stepped onto a stadium pitch for the first time, felt the lights on him, heard the thunderous applause that seemed to reverberate through the ground and into his body, he knew. He belonged there. There was no other place for him.
The Gym Challenge wasn't quite as easy as he had thought it would be. Yet every Trainer he defeated, every Gym Badge he earned, only made him more and more sure of himself. On a day that was more suited to staying indoors with a cuppa than standing on a Battle Court, rain pouring onto the pitch, Raihan earned his seventh Gym Badge, and Sliggoo evolved into a Goodra. She picked him up in her slimy, gooey arms, rubbed a sticky cheek against his face, and squeezed the life out of him.
The closer he got to Leon, the more the desire to battle Leon built up inside him until he felt as if he could explode. The battle for his eight Gym Badge seemed to pass by in a haze, yet at the same time, he was hyper-focused and commanded his Pokemon without a single misstep. Only when the battle was almost over did Raihan realise he had stepped out of the Trainer's box, as if he meant to jump into battle and take on the opposing Pokemon with his own two hands.
'You're an interesting kid,' the Gym Leader said as they shook hands over his new badge. 'You're going to be the one facing off against Leon this year for sure. I'm looking forward to it.'
Raihan was delighted. It was the first time anyone had told him they believed in his ability to stand up to Leon since he started his Gym Challenge.
'It's going to be the greatest match Galar has ever seen,' he promised.
Throughout the Championship Cup, Raihan felt as if there was a thick fog in front of his eyes. He was so impatient to meet Leon that he seemed only able to see as far as his own Pokemon standing in front of him. It lifted just a little after he had gone through the finals, and he was in the lobby of Wyndon Stadium, surrounded by reporters and their cameras, microphones, and tape recorders. The attention pleased him. He was asked if he was nervous about the next day's Championship Match, and he said, 'No way. I hope Leon's made the most of his time as Champion because I'm going to win tomorrow.'
The reporters laughed. Raihan was unperturbed - until a voice said, 'Excuse me, can I talk to Raihan please?' and the sea of adults parted to let Leon through. A surge of excitement rushed through him. He leapt forward and opened his mouth, but found he didn't know what to say. He was actually tongue-tied in the presence of the Champion he had come all this way to meet.
Leon had no such qualms, and said, 'Hey Raihan. Your battles today were amazing. I can't wait to face you tomorrow.' He extended his hand. 'I'm Leon, by the way.'
The fact that Leon thought he had to introduce himself was so absurd that Raihan was startled into laughing.
'I know who you are,' he said. 'I took on the Gym Challenge because I kept hearing about this unbeatable new Champion, the greatest Trainer Galar has ever seen. I wanted to beat him for myself.'
'Really?' Leon's face lit up. 'That's awesome. Let's make sure to show the region the best match they've ever seen tomorrow.'
'You don't have to tell me to do that.' Raihan took his hand. Leon's grip was firm, as unwavering and self-assured as his demeanour in battle.
It rained again that evening. The morning of the match, bolts of lightning were flashing across the sky, and the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. Raihan stepped out of the hotel and turned his face to the sky with a grin. It was perfect.
'Fire-type Pokemon don't like the rain,' Raihan said to Goodra in the locker room while they waited to be called onto the pitch. 'Leon's Charizard won't be happy. But you and I are going to make good use of it.'
Had he underestimated Leon? He couldn't have. He had watched Leon so intently for the past two years, studied the way he battled, the way he communicated with his Pokemon, down to his extravagant gesticulating in battle. So Leon was just stronger? Not until the end did Raihan really think he was going to lose, not even when he only had Flygon left while Leon still had 4 Pokeballs on his belt untouched. Raihan had been so sure that it was his destiny to beat Leon and become the new Champion.
After Flygon had fallen, and Raihan ran to check on him before withdrawing him to his Pokeball - only then did it sink in. For a moment, he simply stared at Leon, walking across the pitch to him, in disbelief.
'You were incredible,' Leon said. He held out his hand again, as he had the day before. At that moment, Raihan realised that Leon's face was flushed, he was breathing heavily, and his smile was broader than ever. 'That was the best match I've ever had. Keep coming back here to challenge me, so I can get stronger and stronger.'
Raihan had been watching Leon ever since he became Champion - studying his matches, following his every public move. But he felt as if he was seeing Leon, now, for the first time. He looked at the gloved hand extended in his direction, and laughed.
Leon was amazing. The rush of the past few days were catching up to him. He almost couldn't believe that he was standing here, in front of Leon, after having battled him. Leon was even more wonderful, more magnificent a Trainer up close. And the grin that Leon was giving him now - he had never seen that in any interview or match recording. Was it for him? He took Leon's hand and held on so tight, it was a wonder he didn't crush his fingers.
'Next time,' he said, 'I won't lose.'
It was really true after all. His place was on the Battle Court, standing opposite Leon as his rival.
Fandom: Pokemon
Characters: Raihan & Leon
Word Count: 1.8k
Rating: Gen
Summary: From the moment a young Raihan laid eyes on Leon through the television screen, he knew his destiny. For the bingo square 'Ambitious'.
Raihan had been 9 years old when he and his mates heard about the fresh-faced young Trainer who was going to become the next Champion. Chairman Rose had been on the telly many times to say so, so it had be true. On the day of the Championship Match, every kid who had the slightest interest in Pokemon was glued to their screen on the day.
Raihan, who knew he was going to be Champion next year when he went on his Gym Challenge, was skeptical. No matter how great this new Trainer was, he would be sure to beat him easily. He told this to anyone who would listen to him, and, accustomed to his boasting, they nodded and assured him it was likely true. The local Gym Leader, who had promised to endorse him next year, advised him to watch the match so that he would be prepared to face the new Champion when the time came.
The new contender for the Championship title was a year older than Raihan, but to Raihan's eyes, the child who walked onto the pitch was nothing but a short, scrawny kid. The Charizard following him towered over him, and Raihan wondered how such a big, powerful Pokemon could accept orders from someone who looked so small and so weak. But Leon was confident, Raihan could give him that. He strode forward as if he had been on this battlefield before, countless times, and nothing that was about to come could possibly surprise him or take him unawares.
Every single Pokemon Leon sent out besides made him look tiny. To watch a child direct an Aegislash he couldn't possibly wield and command a Dragapult twice his size would have been laughable if it weren't for the fact that from the first Pokemon Leon sent out, Raihan's jaw fell to the floor. Leon threw his Pokeballs like he was taking aim at something only he could see, and with every order he gave his Pokemon, he gestured as expansively as if he was ready to take action himself. He looked at his opponent with a gaze as unmovable as steel. But the thing that struck at Raihan the most was Leon's smile. It was confident, self-assured, a spark in his eyes that Raihan had never seen in the adult Trainers who surrounded him: a spark of joy. The thing that Leon was unafraid of was the outcome of the match. It didn't matter to him if he won or lost. He was happy to stand there with his Pokemon, caught up in the joy of the battle, yet he was, at the same time, completely confident he would win. The powerful Pokemon under his command seemed to emphasise it all the more. They wouldn't listen to him if they didn't respect him as a Trainer.
In the new Champion, Raihan saw a kindred spirit. It was just a shame that he, Leon, wouldn't get to be Champion for long, before Raihan came to beat him.
On Raihan's 10th birthday, he was appalled by the town Gym Leader's decision not to endorse him. He said some rubbish about Raihan not being ready and still lacking in a strong bond between him and his partner Pokemon. Raihan had covered his Goomy's ears and glared. If he was going to say something like that, he could at least do it out of earshot of the sensitive soul that was his partner Goomy.
'Guess we've got no choice but to keep training,' he told her. Unperturbed, she crawled up his arm and covered him in goo until he was dripping with slime.
Perhaps it was as well to leave Leon to enjoy his Championship for a little longer. It was another two years before Raihan could go on the Gym Challenge, but he wasted no time in getting as strong as he could. He snuck out to the Wild Area to train and look for new Pokemon, and as Leon's fame and popularity grew, he bought every newspaper and magazine he was in, and watched every interview intently.
As Raihan followed Leon's career, something strange happened. He had been interested in Leon as a Pokemon Trainer, seeing in him a worthy rival to his own talent. But the more he watched Leon, the more interested he became in Leon as a person. Leon was outgoing and friendly, never seen with anything less than a huge, toothy grin in his every media appearance. He didn't look down on anyone, praising the previous Champion and every Trainer he publicly battled against. He said that he wanted to help the Trainers of Galar become the strongest in the world. Even his call for further opponents sounded more like a friendly invitation than a challenge. Raihan wasn't the only person who thought so. Leon's popularity increased exponentially, almost more from his charisma than from his strength as a Pokemon Trainer.
Every time he saw Leon's face on a billboard or on the telly, Raihan burned with the desire to meet him.
When Raihan finally received his letter of endorsement, he couldn't get on a train to the opening ceremony in Motostoke fast enough. He already had three Pokeballs on his belt, and was brimming with self-confidence. As he stepped onto a stadium pitch for the first time, felt the lights on him, heard the thunderous applause that seemed to reverberate through the ground and into his body, he knew. He belonged there. There was no other place for him.
The Gym Challenge wasn't quite as easy as he had thought it would be. Yet every Trainer he defeated, every Gym Badge he earned, only made him more and more sure of himself. On a day that was more suited to staying indoors with a cuppa than standing on a Battle Court, rain pouring onto the pitch, Raihan earned his seventh Gym Badge, and Sliggoo evolved into a Goodra. She picked him up in her slimy, gooey arms, rubbed a sticky cheek against his face, and squeezed the life out of him.
The closer he got to Leon, the more the desire to battle Leon built up inside him until he felt as if he could explode. The battle for his eight Gym Badge seemed to pass by in a haze, yet at the same time, he was hyper-focused and commanded his Pokemon without a single misstep. Only when the battle was almost over did Raihan realise he had stepped out of the Trainer's box, as if he meant to jump into battle and take on the opposing Pokemon with his own two hands.
'You're an interesting kid,' the Gym Leader said as they shook hands over his new badge. 'You're going to be the one facing off against Leon this year for sure. I'm looking forward to it.'
Raihan was delighted. It was the first time anyone had told him they believed in his ability to stand up to Leon since he started his Gym Challenge.
'It's going to be the greatest match Galar has ever seen,' he promised.
Throughout the Championship Cup, Raihan felt as if there was a thick fog in front of his eyes. He was so impatient to meet Leon that he seemed only able to see as far as his own Pokemon standing in front of him. It lifted just a little after he had gone through the finals, and he was in the lobby of Wyndon Stadium, surrounded by reporters and their cameras, microphones, and tape recorders. The attention pleased him. He was asked if he was nervous about the next day's Championship Match, and he said, 'No way. I hope Leon's made the most of his time as Champion because I'm going to win tomorrow.'
The reporters laughed. Raihan was unperturbed - until a voice said, 'Excuse me, can I talk to Raihan please?' and the sea of adults parted to let Leon through. A surge of excitement rushed through him. He leapt forward and opened his mouth, but found he didn't know what to say. He was actually tongue-tied in the presence of the Champion he had come all this way to meet.
Leon had no such qualms, and said, 'Hey Raihan. Your battles today were amazing. I can't wait to face you tomorrow.' He extended his hand. 'I'm Leon, by the way.'
The fact that Leon thought he had to introduce himself was so absurd that Raihan was startled into laughing.
'I know who you are,' he said. 'I took on the Gym Challenge because I kept hearing about this unbeatable new Champion, the greatest Trainer Galar has ever seen. I wanted to beat him for myself.'
'Really?' Leon's face lit up. 'That's awesome. Let's make sure to show the region the best match they've ever seen tomorrow.'
'You don't have to tell me to do that.' Raihan took his hand. Leon's grip was firm, as unwavering and self-assured as his demeanour in battle.
It rained again that evening. The morning of the match, bolts of lightning were flashing across the sky, and the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. Raihan stepped out of the hotel and turned his face to the sky with a grin. It was perfect.
'Fire-type Pokemon don't like the rain,' Raihan said to Goodra in the locker room while they waited to be called onto the pitch. 'Leon's Charizard won't be happy. But you and I are going to make good use of it.'
Had he underestimated Leon? He couldn't have. He had watched Leon so intently for the past two years, studied the way he battled, the way he communicated with his Pokemon, down to his extravagant gesticulating in battle. So Leon was just stronger? Not until the end did Raihan really think he was going to lose, not even when he only had Flygon left while Leon still had 4 Pokeballs on his belt untouched. Raihan had been so sure that it was his destiny to beat Leon and become the new Champion.
After Flygon had fallen, and Raihan ran to check on him before withdrawing him to his Pokeball - only then did it sink in. For a moment, he simply stared at Leon, walking across the pitch to him, in disbelief.
'You were incredible,' Leon said. He held out his hand again, as he had the day before. At that moment, Raihan realised that Leon's face was flushed, he was breathing heavily, and his smile was broader than ever. 'That was the best match I've ever had. Keep coming back here to challenge me, so I can get stronger and stronger.'
Raihan had been watching Leon ever since he became Champion - studying his matches, following his every public move. But he felt as if he was seeing Leon, now, for the first time. He looked at the gloved hand extended in his direction, and laughed.
Leon was amazing. The rush of the past few days were catching up to him. He almost couldn't believe that he was standing here, in front of Leon, after having battled him. Leon was even more wonderful, more magnificent a Trainer up close. And the grin that Leon was giving him now - he had never seen that in any interview or match recording. Was it for him? He took Leon's hand and held on so tight, it was a wonder he didn't crush his fingers.
'Next time,' he said, 'I won't lose.'
It was really true after all. His place was on the Battle Court, standing opposite Leon as his rival.